War Cry
by penguino3782
Summary: Takes place directly after episode 2.6 "Cry Havoc." A post-episode one shot that takes place in my "Family Ties" verse. J is hurt and Pope is tasked with notifying Baz. Needless to say, he does not take the news well.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Animal Kingdom.**

 **A/N: So I don't know where this really came from. But, I just couldn't help myself. It's part of my "Family Ties" verse and takes place directly after the 2.6 episode "Cry Havoc." Be warned, since this is part of my "Family Ties" verse, this chapter will make references to sexual abuse of a child. I should probably wait to post this until after I finish "Family Ties." But, I can't. Having said that, this will contain some spoilers for things to come in "Family Ties." So if you don't want to know how "Family Ties" is going to end, then turn away now. For those of you who don't, here you go!**

 **War Cry**

Baz is sitting in front of the television on the verge of falling asleep when his phone rings. He sighs when he sees it's Pope. Why the hell is he calling him at this time of night? He's tempted to ignore it, but something tells him not to.

"Hey man, what's up?" Baz says as he rubs his forehead tiredly.

" _ **Baz…"**_

It's just one word but the exhaustion Baz was just ready to give into is gone in an instant. There's something in Pope's voice that tells him something's wrong. Really wrong.

"What happened?"

" _ **Someone broke into the house. The place is trashed."**_

Baz sits up ramrod straight. He dropped J off at the house after he, J, and Lena got dinner earlier. Lena had begged J to come over to watch some new movie. But, J refused saying that he would have to come over another night because he had a big test that he had to go home and study for.

"J?" Baz asks quietly.

" _ **He's alive."**_

Alive. Pope said alive. Not okay. "Put him on the phone."

" _ **Baz…"**_

"Put him on the phone!" Baz orders.

" _ **I can't," Pope explains. "Smurf is patching him up."**_

"Be honest with me, should he be going to the ER?" Baz asks.

Pope's silence tells Baz all he needs to know. "I'm coming over now."

" _ **No. You need to head over to Ash and Trailhead. They took Nicky and dumped her on the side of the road. You have to go get her before she's picked up by a concerned citizen. Or worse, a cop."**_

Baz shakes his head. "No fucking way. I'm heading over to the house."

" _ **Baz, go pick up Nicky." Pope tries again.**_

But, Baz isn't having it. He's already off the couch and grabbing his gun from its hiding place. "You're not going to tell me that I can't see my kid."

" _ **And how about your other kid?"**_

"Lena?" Baz asks as he looks towards his daughter's room. "She's coming with me."

" _ **She shouldn't see him like this," Pope says.**_

Shit. It's that bad? "As bad as that time the mega church went south?"

" _ **Worse. Like that after we found him after Damien-"**_

"Don't!" Baz hisses. "I told you never to say that asshole's name again."

" _ **I know but I think you should know what we're dealing with right now. And I don't think Lena should see him like this."**_

"She saw him after what happened with Damien," Baz snaps. "And thanks for your input, but when it comes to my kids, I'll make the decisions."

" _ **Fine," Pope responds dejectedly. "I'll tell J you're coming. But you call Craig to tell him to pick up Nicky."**_

Baz can hear the hurt in the other man's voice. Man he feels like an ass. After all Pope has done. After everything Pope did when the truth about Damien came out. Baz can't deny that the other man cares deeply for his son. It's good to know that J has people in his corner after years of having almost no one to rely on.

"I'm sorry, Pope." Baz apologizes. " I just…."

" _ **I'll tell J you're on your way over," Pope says hanging up before Baz can reply.**_

"Shit!" Baz says slamming his phone down.

 **XXXXX**

"Okay, do you remember what I told you?" Baz asks as he turns off the truck.

"Uh huh," Lena replies as she hugs her stuffed otter closer to herself. The same stuffed animal that J bought her from their last trip to the aquarium.

"Lena," Baz. "What did I say?"

"That I gotta stay behind you," Lena answers quietly.

Baz runs his hand through his daughter's hair. "It's going to be alright."

"J's going to be okay? Right, Daddy?" Lena asks sadly.

He's thankful that the inside of the car is dark so that he can't see the hurt that is no doubt muddling his daughter's eyes. "I bet seeing you is going to make him feel a lot better."

A toothy grin is returned. "Let's go, Dad!"

Baz gives his daughter a small smile. Lena's smile is something he can never get enough of. "Okay, let's go."

Lena does exactly as she's told as she follows closely behind him as they enter the ransacked house. "Careful," Baz says as he maneuvers them around a pile of broken glass.

"Uncle Pope!" Lena calls out when she sees him sweeping up something in the kitchen.

"Hey, Lena." Pope greets as he puts down the broom and picks her up to give her a tight hug.

"Put me down!" She giggles. "You're squishing me!"

Baz tries to make eye contact with his brother. Tries to convey how sorry he is for getting short with him earlier on the phone. And for that 'when it comes to my kid' comment. But, Pope is looking everywhere and anywhere but at Baz.

Pope puts Lena down and finally looks over to Baz. "J is in his room. Smurf's with him."

"Okay," Baz replies and turns to Lena. "Can you stay here with Uncle Pope for a few minutes so I can check on your brother?"

He then turns to Pope. "Is that okay?"

Pope nods his head. "Sure. I'll make us some hot chocolate. How does that sound, Lena?"

"With extra marshmallows?"

"Of course!" Pope says as he begins combing through the cabinets for the necessary ingredients.

"Thanks, man." Baz replies as he claps Pope on the back. He is thankful for Pope. For so many things. Not just for tonight. But countless other times. For when he took care of things when Baz was so blinded by rage after learning the extent of all that Damien did. "Thanks for everything."

Pope nods his head jerkily. "Go see him. He was asking for you. I'll stay with Lena."

And there it is. That invisible knife to the gut. His kid is hurt and was asking for him because he wasn't there. Granted, it was J's decision to remain living at Smurf's after the DNA match that resulted in Lena's bone marrow transplant. He knows that J was and still is weary of their relationship. His earlier rejection of the idea of being J's father is still clearly effecting the kid. He still wants that distance just in case Baz rejects him…again. He can't blame the kid for that.

That's what makes hearing J asking for him so much harder. He must be really hurt if he's letting his guard down. Letting Baz in.

"Go!" Pope says turning to get the water going.

Baz has to side step several times over various debris as he makes his way down the hall. But soon, he's standing outside J's door. J is sitting up in bed with Smurf sitting beside him. But, Baz can't see much of J since Smurf is sitting between him and the door.

"Easy, baby." Smurf soothes.

J tries to say something, but all that Baz can make out is a wheezing breath and a broken "'ky."

"Shhh," Smurf says. "Don't talk. Craig is getting her. She's okay."

"'az? Lena?" J wheezes out.

"They're okay. Pope called them. And they're on their way over now."

Baz can see J shaking his head from the doorway. ''ool night."

On top of being hurt, the kid is clearly worried as hell. Stepping into the bedroom, Baz says, "Do you really think I would have been able to keep her away? School night or not?"

Smurf gives him a huge smile as she stands up. "Here he is! J's been asking about you."

"An' Ena," J adds through another wheeze.

Damn why does the kid sound like that? Broken ribs?

"We're okay," Baz says as he steps further into the room. The closer he gets to J, the more color he feels draining from his face. The kid looks like shit. He's pale, except for the array of bruises that's covering his face. The leg wound that was stapled closed days earlier has been grotesquely reopened and has been subsequently closed again. Baz recognizes Smurf's handy work. God, that must have killed. How the hell is the kid still conscious. Oh that's right. He's too busy worrying about the wellbeing of Nicky, Lena and Baz to worry about himself.

"Good," J says as he turns towards Baz.

"I'll leave you two alone," Smurf says.

"Yeah you might want to check on Pope and Lena. He's making hot chocolate."

"Oh Christ," Smurf says as she quickly exits the room. "Pope! You better not burn down my kitchen!"

With Smurf gone, Baz takes her place besides J. "Hey,"

"Hi," J wheezes. "S'rry."

Baz rolls his eyes. "For what?"

"Making you wake Lena up to cover over here."

"Don't' worry about it," Baz says as places his hand on J's forehead, careful to avoid the bruises that's marring his face. A part of him breaks when J flinches away from his touch.

"Sorry," Baz apologizes sadly. Sorry that this happened to J. Sorry that J still thinks that even the softest touch comes the promise of pain.

"it's okay," J says. "Just wasn't expecting it."

"I get it," Baz says. And he does. He gets it all too well. He and J are more alike than neither one of them wants to admit.

"Daddy," Lena calls from the doorway. "Does J want some hot chocolate?"

He turns to his son. "You want some hot chocolate? Or something stronger?"

"Stronger," J sighs as he lets out a moan.

"I gotcha, kid." He turns to his daughter. "He's going to pass, Lena."

Lena looks down sadly and turns around to return to the kitchen.

"Stop," J slurs.

"What's up, kid?" Baz asks concerned.

"Lena can come in," J says.

"You sure?" Baz asks as he looks over the hurting teenager. "I don't mean to sound like an ass, but you don't look too hot."

"If she wants to see me, she can," J says.

"Okay, I'll get you something for the pain and see if she wants to see you," Baz says as he exits the room. "Even though I can tell you already that the answer is going to be yes."

J nods as he closes his eyes and leans back into his pillows.

Baz makes a stop in the bathroom and grabs the bottle of Percocet that's in the medicine cabinet before he returns to the kitchen.

"Well," Smurf greets him as he enters the kitchen. "You will be glad to know that Pope did not burn down my kitchen."

Lena lets out a small giggle. "It was close though."

"I bet it was," Baz says as he leans down to be at eye level with his daughter.

"Is J okay?" Lena asks.

Man the way a child's mind can switch gears so fast never fails to surprise Baz. "He will be. He's all bruised, but he told me that he wants to see you if you want. Do you want to?"

Lena nods her head quickly.

"Okay, then. Let's go." Baz says holding his hand out for Lena to take.

They walk slowly towards J's room. Lena's hand firmly in Baz's grip, the girl's other arm is wrapped tightly around her stuffed animal, Lawrence.

"Here we are," Baz says once they reach their destination. He turns to s daughter. "You ready?"

Lena nods bringing Lawrence up so that's resting directly under her chin.

"Okay, now. J's face is a little bruised. And his ribs are hurting. So his breathing sounds a little funny," Baz explains.

"Can I hug him?"

Baz frowns. "Maybe. But you have to be careful and you should probably ask first. Okay?"

"Okay," Lena answers as they walk into J's room. He looks like he may be sleeping but he turns his head when he hears Lena and Baz enter.

"Hi, J." Lena greets softly.

"Lena," J smiles as he turns to them.

Lena goes to run towards J's bed but is stopped when Baz picks her up and softly deposits her onto the bed beside J. "Easy there, punk. Remember what I said. Careful."

Lena nods as she and Lawrence get comfortable on J's bed.

"And these are for you," Baz says handling J a couple of percocets and a glass of water to wash them down. "You guys good?"

J nods contently as Lena turns on the television, quickly switching channels to find something to watch.

"Okay, I'm gonna go talk to Smurf and Pope. Call me if you guys need anything."

Baz stays in the doorway for a few minutes watching his kids. Lena seems to have finally found something on the television. Her shoes already kicked off. She's already itching closer to J's prone form. J's eyes are already half lidded. No doubt the end result of the combination of the night's events and the pain medication now cursing through his veins. The only sound in he room is the soft lulling tones of the television, Lena's even breathing, and J's wheezing breaths.

Content that his kids are fine for the moment. Baz switches off the light and makes his way to the kitchen. Now he needs answers.

"What the fuck happened?!" Baz asks as soon as he sees Smurf and Pope.

"We came home and found the house like this," Pope says motioning to the mess all around them.

Baz motions for them to continue. He knows this already just by looking around.

"From what J was able to tell us, it looks like a couple of assholes broke in here looking for money. When they couldn't find what they were looking for, they beat the crap out of J and took Nicky with them," Smurf adds.

Baz shakes his head. This doesn't tell him much. He just has more questions. "Stop with the bullshit. Tell me the whole story!"

"What?" Smurf asks innocently.

"Don't play that naïve act with me, Smurf! That's my kid who is beat to hell and back!" Baz exclaims motioning towards J's bedroom.

"You need to pull yourself together," Smurf hisses. "It wasn't too long ago that you didn't give a shit about that kid. Now you're going to come in here and start acting like you're father of the fucking year!"

"Guys! Stop!" Pope interrupts. "You two going after each other isn't going to help things."

Baz takes a step back. He puts his hands up. "You're right, Pope. I'm sorry. So what do we know. Do we know who it was?"

Pope looks at Smurf.

"What?" Baz asks. "What is it?"

"It was Javi," Pope says.

"Javi?" Baz asks confused. "That kid from years ago?"

Pope nods. "The same one."

"Why now? And why take Nicky?"

Pope looks to Smurf. This time Smurf answers. "He recently came across some information. He knows that we killed his father. And buried him at Ash and Trailhead."

"Where they dumped Nicky?" Baz says. Putting the pieces together. Jesus. Once again, Smurf fucks up and it's on them to clean up her mess. "Jesus, Smurf!"

"What's done is done. We can't unchanged the past. But, we can make this right." Smurf says.

"How?" Pope laughs sarcastically. "This was all you. There is no we here."

Smurf shakes her head. "This became 'we' when Javi broke in here and beat the shit out of J. The kid is going to be pissing blood for weeks. I had to close up that leg wound again. They nearly drowned him. You hear the way he's breathing? It's going to be a damn miracle if he doesn't catch pneumonia."

"They dumped him in the pool?" Baz asks quietly.

Pope nods sadly. "He was soaked when we found him. His hands were zip tied behind his back."

Jesus. While Baz was home some beers and watching the game, his kid pulled himself out of a pool after being brutally beaten, hands tied behind his back.

"As I was saying, we need to make this right," Smurf says. "No one comes in here and hurts us like this without facing some major consequences."

"Maybe we should schedule a sit down," Baz suggests. He wants to beat the shit out of these assholes but first he needs to get a reading of what's going on.

"A sit down? Really?" Smurf asks incredulously "They beat the shit out of your kid and you want to invite them out to lunch? I thought for sure after that colossal fuck up with Damien you would move heaven and earth to make sure nothing bad happened to your kid again. I guess I was wrong."

"Don't!" Baz says heatedly as he points his finger at Smurf. "I feel like shit every time I think about what that sick fuck did to J. Both when he was with Julia and when he was here. I don't need you throwing that in my face!"

"Oh, please. The signs were on the damn wall. The constant showering. The drinking. The nightmares and weight loss. All case book symptoms of sexual abuse," Smurf says.

"I know that! I don't need you bringing that up all the damn time. And besides, I'm not the only one who missed it. I mean you were the one inviting the sicko over for dinner. Giving him ample opportunity to feel the kid up while you served him up generous helpings of chicken marsala and tiramisu. " Baz throws out cruelly.

"Guys! Stop! Damien is dead!" Pope says. "What happened tonight has nothing to do with him. This is about Javi."

Baz steps away from Smurf and starts pacing. Pope is right. This is not about Damien. Damien is gone. Pope took care of that. Javi is the problem at hand. And if Javi broke into the house once, what is stopping him from doing it again. He can't let Javi hurt J again. He failed protecting J from Damien time and time again. And he failed to protect him from Javi tonight. He won't let that happen again. He can't.

"I want him dead," Baz says coldly.

"Good," Smurf smiles. "It looks like we finally agree on something. I'll put on some coffee for when the boys and Nicky get back. We have lots to discuss."

 **I can just picture Smurf manipulating Baz to get what she wants. Using his guilt for not being there for J before to 'make up for it now.'**


End file.
